One of my aunts – an avid animal rescuer, gardener, and entertainer – has always been good at offering heaps of sage advice. Some of it doesn’t always apply to my life, but one tip that has always stuck with me is her insistence of always having fresh flowers inside. “A day without fresh flowers inside your home is a less wonderful day,” she’d say.

With this, I’d have to agree. Waking up to freshly cut flowers in your kitchen or on your dressing table is a subtle reminder of the beauty found in everyday things. It’s not always easy, but I do try to display fresh flowers as often as I can, for their aesthetic prettiness, and for other positive health benefits. In recent years, studies have shown very real health benefits connected to bringing the great outdoors in, including reduced anxiety, improved mental health, and more.

If you need more reasons to bring the great outdoors inside to your cozy quarters, here’s a handful, courtesy of the gardening experts at Gardenista:

Plants can improve air quality, so bringing one inside can help you breathe, and even sleep better!

As my aunt insisted, studies have shown that fresh-cut flowers can boost feelings of happiness.

Adding a small tree, rock garden, or a terrarium to your indoor space can help set the mind at ease after a stressful day at work.

Living near nature – a park, small urban green space, or even just a tree outside of your window – has been proven to boost creativity, energy, happiness, and health.

Growing herbs at home, and implementing them into your diet, can help you with your energy and performance levels.

According to research conducted by psychologist Rodger Ulrich, just looking a plants can help you heal faster if you are injured or sick.

Being surrounded by flowers or plants can improve your concentration and increase your attention span.

Green environments, like an indoor sanctuary filled with plants, can improve your memory performance by as much as 29%.

Lastly, by nurturing houseplants you’re simultaneously channeling your anxiety into something that takes you away from the stresses of everyday life. It’s rewarding to see natural things around you grow and thrive.